Community Habilitation

Community Habilitation has been added to the list of programs and services Opengate provides for individuals and families. Approved within New York State’s Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Waiver, it is intended to be a more efficient mechanism for the delivery of habilitative services in the community and is designed to promote independence, community participation and capacity building.

Though it is similar to Residential Habilitation and Day Habilitation, the focus of Community Habilitation is broad since it includes services in non-certified settings. It is defined as a “face-to-face” service in the HCBS waiver as well as in guidance issued by the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD). Community Habilitation offers participants and families the flexibility of having services delivered in a variety of community settings with Opengate support staff working directly with the individuals served.

Community Habilitation is goal oriented and offers skill training and supports as follows: Daily living skill building, travel, health, adult educational supports, communication, social skills, leisure skills, money management, positive behavioral support, life safety, hands-on-assistance provided by staff as necessary, professional services as necessary, self-advocacy, informed choice, community inclusion, and relationship building. Community Habilitation may also include personal care, health care, protective oversight and supervision, and program-related transportation but these components do not constitute the entirety of the service.

Community Habilitation can also be delivered in a “self-directed” manner affording the individual, or those who help them, the opportunity for the maximum amount of control over how and when they are supported